Dwarf
by LaCorriveau
Summary: Sailor Pluto is forced to come to terms with her new status as a dwarf planet, with the unwanted help of a fellow Sailor Scout.


A/N: A short story I wrote a while ago featuring Sailor Pluto and my OC, Sailor Charon. Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and associated characters/story line are not mine, however Sailor Charon is my creation. And I love her very much, so be kind. And a teensy bit of background that I don't think is explained in the writing; Sailor Charon acted as Sailor Pluto's regent during the Silver Millennium, since Sailor Pluto herself could not rule on Pluto, seeing as she could not abandon the Door.

Had Sailor Pluto been that sort of person, she would've slammed the Door so forcefully that its frame of marble and silver would've crumbled into dust, or at the very least cracked.

However, it swung gently back into place, making no noise as the great argent and ivory doors engraved with the cycles of the moon closed and hid the time stream from view.

Pluto's face remained stoic, yet the Garnet Orb that topped her key sparkled malevolently, deepening to near black as it mirrored the dark mood lurking beneath Pluto's calm exterior.

She wondered vaguely about giving the time stream a gentle nudge. Surely there weren't any rules against destroying a tiny little insignificant thread, especially considering that the dignity of the Guardian of Time was in jeopardy.

"I never did like the 21st century," she muttered to herself. And she truly didn't; she found a rather disturbing mix of knowledge and sheer ignorance, compassion and brutality in the people of 21st century.

At least the ancient peoples knew the power of the heavens. In the 21st century, one could hardly see the stars, let alone worship them.

Sailor Pluto chuffed in annoyance. Really, the indignity of it all! Her serene mask began to slip as her irritation grew. In her day, when she was the great Queen Persephone of Pluto, no one would've dared to make such claims, to insult the garnet and platinum throne in such a manner.

She found herself drawn out of her mental rant by a familiar skittling of magic on the edge of her senses. A chilly tendril of air curled over Pluto's shoulder and she swore she could see the silvery mists of Asphodel circling her ankles.

She turned and held aloft her time key, intent on creating a dimensional door and escaping through it, but she was, unfortunately, too late.

"Esteemed Queen." The words themselves were respectful, intended for a woman of a higher position. The voice that spoke them was not respectful. In fact, it wasn't much of anything. It was a blank, emotionless, empty voice.

"Sailor Charon," Pluto replied tersely. Perhaps Charon did not know…after all, it wasn't as though she spent her time with the most current of sources…Sailor Pluto blinked. Current of sources. She had never been one for jokes and the like.

Realizing that the Soldier of the Dead was waiting patiently to be addressed, Pluto braced herself and spoke again.

"What brings you here, Sailor Charon? Surely the River is as busy as ever."

The verdant-eyed soldier shrugged.

"Cerberus watches for me," she replied simply, but volunteered no more information. Silence reigned yet again, until Sailor Charon chose to break it.

"Interesting news from the River," she said nonchalantly. Pluto turned her head sharply, but Charon directed her gaze to her Oar.

"Oh?" The Garnet Orb glimmered menacingly.

"Yes. The dead tell such fascinating tales," Charon said with a disturbing and uncharacteristic sunny smile that failed to reach her eyes.

"I'm sure."

Charon traced a finger up the loom of her Oar, pausing at the two silver coins set into the loom just before it met the blade.

"Fascinating fellow. Said he was an astronomer before his soul came to the Styx."

Pluto's stomach dropped to her knees. The Garnet Orb seethed.

Charon knew.

"Oh, yes," Sailor Charon pushed an errant strand of dusky red hair behind her ear. "Bit odd for a twenty-first century man." Here she looked wistful. "He said he was honored and surprised to meet me. He claimed he didn't understand how a world's essence could be contained in flesh, but then, not many can."

Sailor Pluto knew that this seemingly innocent prattle was leading somewhere significant, and she steeled herself for its end.

"Do you know what he told me, my Queen?"

"I'm sure that a shade's babbling is of no grave importance to me," Pluto said, bravely trying to derail Sailor Charon.

It didn't work.

"He told me a rather interesting fact about your planet, Pluto-" she broke off with a chuckle (though her laugh was emotionless…it always was)-"or should I say, the dwarf planet Pluto?"

The Garnet Orb sparked.

"You know I cannot control what people choose to believe," Sailor Pluto said icily.

"I bet you wish you could."

Pluto scrutinized Charon's pale visage. Was that…was that amusement in Charon's tone? Charon had been the Ferrier since Pluto had been Guardian, and not once had Pluto caught any type of emotion from the stoic solider of the dead. Usually, she was about as animated as the shades she took to Asphodel.

"I'm sure you have more pressing matters to attend to than to mock me, Sailor Charon."

"Of course, Sailor Dwarf Pluto," Charon said without missing a beat. "There is, after all, a dwarf throne to be looked after as it lacks its dwarf queen, held as always by the duties of her dwarf door."

Pluto's eye twitched. Charon appeared to be deeply amused.

"I will make you leave."

"Ah…using Dwarf Dead Scream, I suppose?"

The Garnet Orb sparked again, only this time Charon's Oar flared to life with it, and she hissed in surprise.

"Do not test me, Sailor Charon," Sailor Pluto said in a deceptively pleasant voice.

Sailor Charon's brows tightened for a moment, before smoothing out into her typical empty expression.

"Very well. I can see when my presence is not wanted."

"I _told_ you that your presence wasn't wanted!" Pluto snapped irritably.

It took a quick eye to catch it, but Sailor Pluto was positive that Sailor Charon threw a smirk over her shoulder before dissipating into cold gray mists.

"As you wish…your dwarf highness."


End file.
